BCCI Apex Council meet: Home season media rights 2023-27, women's team head coach on agenda

The BCCI is set to hold its Apex Council meeting on Sunday. Among the topics on the agenda are the home season media rights from 2023 to 2027, whereas the appointment of a head coach for the women's team is also sure to be discussed.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will set the ball rolling for the sale of the media rights for bilateral cricket at home and commence appointing the head coach of the Indian women's cricket team at its Apex Council meeting on Sunday. After the ₹48,390 crore windfall from the Indian Premier League (IPL) media rights, the BCCI will have high expectations for the 2023-2027 cycle home season rights. With the entry of Viacom in Indian cricket's ecosystem, it will be a three-way battle between them, Star and Sony.

The BCCI reaped enormous benefits from selling the broadcast and digital rights separately for the IPL, and it is expected to follow that for the international games at home. Star had paid ₹6,138.1 crore for the previous cycle that ended on March 31.

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Appointment of women's team support staff
The Indian women's cricket team played the recent ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa without a head coach. Batting coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar had taken charge of the team following the sacking of head coach Ramesh Powar in December. As the subject finds a mention on the Apex Council agenda, the BCCI will soon invite applications for the support staff, including the head coach position. India had yet again come up short in a knock-out game at the ICC event in February, losing to eventual champions Australia in the semifinals.

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Tax exemption for ICC World Cup
The host nation must get tax exemption from the government for hosting tournaments organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). However, India's tax rules don't allow such exemptions though the BCCI is pushing for a win-win solution in its talks with the government. The board could lose as much as ₹955 crore if the government sticks to its decision to levy a 21.84 per cent tax surcharge on ICC's broadcast revenue from the 2023 ICC World Cup.

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The other items on the agenda include ratification of player contracts, revised travel policy of BCCI officials and domestic schedule for the 2023-2024 season. With Byju's jersey sponsorship coming to a premature end, the BCCI will also have to look for a replacement. Adidas is set to be India's team kit sponsor replacing KKCL, maker of Killer jeans.

(With inputs from PTI)